Final answer:
Pregnancy leave policies, as mandated by the Family and Medical Leave Act, allow eligible employees to take up to 12 weeks of unpaid leave per year. Even though the exact notice period for starting the leave or returning early isn't provided, the standard 60 days written notice for large company events can be suggestive of the advance notice an employee might need to give.
Step-by-step explanation:
The topic in question is connected to policies around pregnancy leave and the legal requirements for employees to notify employers about the beginning or change of their leave. In the United States, as part of workers' rights and protections, there are laws that specifically address pregnancy leave for employees. By the Pregnancy Discrimination Act of 1978 and the Family and Medical Leave Act (FM'LA), eligible employees are entitled to job-protected unpaid leave for family reasons, including pregnancy and childbirth.
For pregnancy leave, the FM'LA allows employees to take up to 12 weeks of unpaid leave per year. However, the details about the notification period required for starting the leave or returning earlier than previously indicated weren't explicitly provided. The common practice, for other similar notices, such as plant closings or large layoffs, require a written notice 60 days in advance for employers with more than 100 employees. While this doesn't exactly apply to pregnancy leave, it can give us a ballpark about the notice period expected in formal situations.
In the absence of specific guidelines in the provided references, it would be prudent for an employee to provide as much advance notice as possible when planning to start their leave or if they wish to return to work earlier than initially indicated, facilitating a smooth transition for both the employee and employer.